A Tale Of Two Cities
by Ice Princess3
Summary: Sequel to "Great Expectations". A Trory ficlet. It's graduation day and Rory is reflecting on the choices and risks ahead of her, what path will she take and who will be there with her?


Disclaimer: I don't own anything. The title is from the book by Charles Dickens

A/N: Okay here it is a sequel to "Great Expectations". The reason behind the title is this story came from a free writing exercise we did in my English class. We had to fill in it was the best of__ and the worst of __. And this is what came out of it. I hope you guys enjoy this ficlet. Let me know. The next chapter in "The Best Deceptions" will be out soon. 

A Tale Of Two Cities

            It was the best of moments; it was the worst of moments. Today was the day she had been waiting for, for well—forever. It was her graduation day, twelve years of hard work and sacrifice culminating in this one moment. 

            She took the stage in her cap and gown, careful not to trip on the long hem her mother had forgotten to pin. Her cap was secured by numerous bobby pins to her long almond colored hair, the tassel swung like a pendulum from side to side. Reminding her of a ticking clock, minutes go by then days, weeks, months—years. And suddenly you're here. It's the day you've been preparing for as long as you can remember. So isn't this supposed to be the shining moment? 

            She had become the valedictorian, while Paris was the salutatorian. She had worked so hard and sacrificed so much to be up here today. So shouldn't it feel a little better? She had wanted for so long just to get out of here. This school, the hell that was Chilton, but now…maybe just maybe she may miss some things. Some people. 

            She looked around at her fellow classmates—some were smiling and laughing some were crying, some like Louise were talking on their cells phones while girls like Madeline picked at their manicures just wanting for the ceremony to be over. And Paris, she just sat there beaming she had attained her dream, she was going to Harvard. 

            And Rory was not. Maybe that's why she was feeling this way. Cause in the past when she had thought about this day Harvard always had followed it. Not now. She hadn't gotten in and telling her family had almost killed her, it would have if not for a certain person she had talked to. She smiled remembering that snowy meeting. She'd be lying if she said she never thought of him…he was always somewhere in the back of her head and her thoughts. 

            Looking out into the crowd of parents she easily spotted her Mom and the Stars Hollow gang. Lorelai had a bullhorn, and many people like Miss Patty, were holding up signs. Her Grandparents were seated on the other side of Lorelai looking a little uncomfortable with the spectacle the others were causing but nonetheless very proud of Rory. God, she was going to miss all of them so much, it was going to be like leaving this huge part of herself behind. But she knew even if she wouldn't admit to anyone that she needed to go, to find herself, as corny as that sounded. She was slowly breaking free from the mold that had been closing her in this past year. But just because she knew she needed to do it, didn't make it any easier. 

            After the caps were tossed in the air, and then narrowly avoided as they came falling down. Come on whose bright idea was that? She started to walk towards her cheering section when out of the corner of her eye she spotted a familiar figure. 

            "Tristan?" she called out, half hoping, she would be wrong. But no the blonde head turned towards her and his handsome face lighted up with the most beautiful smile she had ever seen. 

            It stopped her dead in her tracks, the pure joy on his face; his very handsome face just struck her. Like a light bulb has flashed above her head, the symbolic click, she finally got it. She got why girls threw themselves at him. Wow.

            "Mary, congratulations!" Tristan yelled as he weaved through the crowd to get to her. 

            As soon as he was in a suitable distance she launched herself at him. He caught her in a giant bear hug and she just clung as tightly as she could to him. Finally he put her down but she had yet to unclasp her arms from around his neck. 

            "Hi." She said staring into his eyes with a peculiar look, as if she was seeing him for the first time. 

            "Hi." He echoed a little puzzled at her behavior. 

            She slowly let her hands drift down from his neck, over his biceps down his arms until she held both of his hands loosely. Now she found she couldn't look him in the eyes.

            "So what are you doing here?" she asked gently swaying their entwined hands back and forth.

            "Oh y'know." He stalled for a moment. "I guess I wanted to see everything went for ya Mary."

            "Rory, the name's Rory. They still let you graduate even though you obviously have a problem with your memory? I'm shocked…Solider boy." She teased him. 

            "Well you know what money can do." He joked back. "Plus I can be very persuasive when I want to be."

            Rory turned serious and looked up at him. "I know you can be, some might even call you a voice of reason."

            He shrugged.

            "I would. I never really got to thank you for—"

            "It was nothing." He interrupted.

            "No it was something. A big something. Talking to you really helped me to see things more clearly. The big picture and all that stuff."

            He cleared his throat and squeezed her hand, "So what are your plans for the future? Any brighter than last time we spoke?"

            She nodded. "I'm going to Yale, it's my Grandpa's Alma matter so he's thrilled. It's a top school and it has great programs for my major.  It's close enough to home but still far enough away so…"

            "So you're happy?"

            She paused for a moment to really think about the answer to the question. All of her dreams were in her reach. Granted some of her dreams had needed to change but that's what happens as you grow up. Dreams grow and evolve with you and some of them get left behind. So why did she feel so scared She was perched on an edge of something she had wanted forever waiting to see if she would fly or fall. All she had to do was jump.

            "I am happy. I'm scared and sad but I'm happy. Does that make sense?" she laughed.

            "Yeah." He said nodding, "I know exactly what you mean." 

            She looked into his bright blue eyes, the reminded her of the lake on a clear day, and smiled. "Yeah I figured you would."

            She tugged him out of the crowd and into the shade of an oak tree. "So why are you really here?"

            He smiled and looked into her eyes and said, "Well you told me to keep in touch."

            Her eyes sparkled at the memory. "I did, didn't I?"

            He nodded as her hands crept up to his neck again and his hands found themselves resting on her hips. 

            "Well in that case…"she reached up to touch her lips with his.

            Sometimes, she realized, you just had to do whatever makes you happy. Even if you're scared—especially if you're scared because the risk is what makes it worth it. Freedom, love, independence, fear, sadness all tangle together until you can't have one without feeling the other, so why fight it? Her whole life was waiting for her all she had to do was take that first step off the ledge…and learn to fly.

            And so she did.

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